[Lcjones]

Rich,


Your text book bar F sucks. To be blunt.
Here it is in tab form.

a Bar F

E|--1----|------|------|
B|--1----|------|------|
G|-------|--2---|------|
D|-------|------|--3---|
A|-------|------|--3---|
E|--1----|------|------|

Now lets cheat a bit ... ( hey, tricks of the trade )

E|--M---|------|-------|
B|--1---|------|-------|
G|------|--2---|-------|
D|------|------|--3----|
A|--x---|------|-------|
E|--x---|------|-------|

... and in time you'll be doing ...

E|--M---|------|------|
B|--1---|------|------|
G|------|--2---|------|
D|------|------|--3---|
A|------|------|--3---|
E|--x---|------|------|


Ok, in the bottom illustration you see an F7maj chord.
It is essentially the same as a Bar F if done correctly.
Notice the "M" on the high E. The "M" is for "mute".
We're muting the high string by just barely touching the
string. The "X's" on the low A and E are ignored altogether.
They dont even get touched or your thumb can lay over them,
creating the same mute as on the high E string.

Basically, you're strumming from the D string up (or down physically)
The high E is muted by your index finger even though your index finger is
working the first fret, second string. Don't even worry about the low A and E.

The benefit from doing your bar F in this fashion, is that you are not expending all of your energy on the bar. Rather, you are now concentrating on the "core" F chord without the barring.



Hope this helps.

Les